This is my rant, my thoughts, my ideas on HipHop,popmatters, poltics, relationships, life, and everything in between. You may get some fictonal short stories, true short stories, poetry, articles etc...
Therefore, enjoy the gumbo.

Monday, July 31, 2006

Writing my Name in Graffiti on the Wall

Peace Fam,

Back in the day I had guys who would draw beautiful graffiti art on paper for me. Awww..I guess they knew steps to my Hiphop heart...LOL. No I didn't get a full wall mural tribute. But the pictures themselves brought me warmth & joy. You know it's funny because before this culture itself became known mainstream as "Hiphop" culture or a part(graffiti writing) of the culture. The youth just lived it out. They just did it from the soul. The colors the intricate details of my name,and the images "it was what it was" a work of art given in affection as a gift. Well this trip down memory lane caused me to wonder more on the history of the female in this beautiful artistic street painting showcase. Because most of us know some of the dangers that can be involved in this. I found this sum of history(see below) on the ladies of aerosol, and thought this would be great thing to spread the ode. Please read, think, an enjoy!

BIG RESPECT to ALL female Graffiti Writers out there from back in the day to today.

Young women participated in writing from its earliest days, but have always been in the minority. The assumption that the qualities required of a successful writer are gender specific have been dis-proven time and again by many young women. Throughout the years many young women have earned their places in New York City's aerosol art history.

Dona blue

In aerosol art culture women face many obstacles not encountered by men. The late hours and desolate locations in which most writing is done can be particularly dangerous for women. As with many male-dominated fields the social atmosphere can be extremely harsh. Female writers are often subjected to all kinds of harassment. They are frequently the subjects of rumors such as "She sleeps around to get style." or "Her boyfriend writes for her". In general women have to struggle for respect for their accomplishments. Another barrier frequently encountered was possessive boyfriends who discouraged participation in a male-dominated field.

EARLY 1970sFemales to gain attention during the early 1970s were writers like Brooklyn's STONEY and COWBOY. GRAPE and CHARMINE were also early female writers. Probably the most prolific of the time period were Manhattan's BARBARA 62 and EVA 62. These women hit streets, public parks and subway stations with as much vigor as their male counter parts. KIVU, POONIE 1 and SUKI were also active around this time.

MID TO LATE 1970sFrom 1974 to 1979 few young women made consistent efforts on the streets and subways. During this time period LIL LOVE 2 of Manhattan occasionally accompanied her brother LEE (Quinones) to the lay-ups, but for the most part female writers were not active.

In 1979 PINK also known as LADY PINK came into prominence. She would become the most enduring and accomplished female figure in the history of writing to date. Since that time PINK has been an ever-present creative force in aerosol art.

1980sIn addition to the continued presence of PINK the 1980s saw female subway writers such LADY HEART, ABBY, CHICK, SS, (LIL-LOVE TBK), DAWN, ANNA and BAMBI. LADY BUG gained attention for her throw-ups on the BMT division during the mid to late 1980s.

1990s- PRESENT DAYThe new breed of female writers shows a level of commitment seldom seen in earlier generations. These women are involved in bombing, burners, roller letters and tagging on the streets on New York City. Recent female writers to make significant impact are MS. MAGGS who broke ground in the early '90s. Brooklyn's DIVA, HOPE, and DONA of the Vandals In Control crew, they have produced many elaborate murals across the city. JAKEE from the borough of Queens was a prolific street bomber during the late 1990s. Other recent day female New York City writers include MUCK, FNS, CLAW, MISS 17, ICON, EROTICA 67 and NAISHA.

With aerosol art's expansion outside New York City in the 1980s many women across the globe pursued careers as writers. MICKEY of Holland and BLUE of Sweden have made significant strides and are a part of the New York writing scene, writing for the Fantastic Partners crew.

It is to the credit of all the generations of women that they thrive in a sometimes misogynistic "boys club" culture.

1 comment:

Eliesse Ada
said...

I absolutely adore Naisha. After I watched State Your Name, I am certain that she is the greatest female graffiti writer. She was doing her art on a lot of track spots & tunnels In the late 90s through the 2000s. No other female was doing this in that long stretch.